The Key to a Glowing Heart
by ThinkEasy
Summary: Who knew the little girl who fell out of an apple tree would become the most important person in Tony Stark's life? Clove and Tony had been best friends since the day they met. But eventually, Tony became different from the boy she remembered. He didn't really notice her anymore. But she was always there. And she loved him anyway. Tony/OC (Will update after returning from trip)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! ThinkEasy here :) Welcome to my first story! I'm so excited for you all to read it. Just wanted to clear up a few things for everyone.**

**First off, I know it looks like this chapter is set randomly in the middle but I planned it this way. I thought it would be a good lead in to start here, and then move all the way to the beginning for this first story. It'll all make sense in the end, I promise.**

**Secondly, this story is set in the movie universe. But it's VERY loosely based on the movies. I'm only really borrowing characters and events, maybe a few lines here and there. I'm trying to keep everyone as close to in-character as I can, but if I slip up please forgive me. I'm really trying haha.**

**Finally, I have a lot of other stories I want to try writing with Marvel characters: Captain America, Bruce Banner, Hawkeye, Coulson, Loki. It's going to take awhile. But I'm really excited for them all. For this Ironman series I was thinking maybe two or three. It depends on how muh I can expand this. Afterwards I don't really know what I'll be doing, but I'm excited for it either way.**

**Anyway, once again, welcome to "The Key to a Glowing Heart". I hope you enjoy reading the first chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it :)**

**Lots of love- ThinkEasy 3**

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Rhodey was angry as he stormed towards the Malibu home before him. Actually, a better word would be furious. I'll give you a little hint at who he's upset with. Playboy, billionaire, philanthropist...ring any bells? Yes, Rhodey was walking (stomping) to the house to yell at Tony. But then, when wasn't he heading to yell at Tony?

"You'd think after knowing the man for four years he could give me a break and show up like he's supposed to for once, but no. Damn it, he owes me. Again." he sighed, rubbing his temples in exasperation as JARVIS unlocked the front door to let him enter.

Tony was still the same hard-ass as ever. Even after everything that had happened since that incident in Afghanistan. Of course, there were some changes, major ones even, but he still refused show up to events on-time or at all sometimes. It was incredibly infuriating, for both him and Pepper. Especially now as he quickly made his way toward the hallway that led to the lab. Rhodey had once again had to accept an award, in Tony's place, because he refused to show up.

"Wait, where IS Pepper anyway?" He paused in the middle of the hall on his way to the lab, puzzled over the fact that he couldn't remember where his girlfriend had disappeared to. Now, of all times, right when he needed her for support.

"Ms. Potts is currently on a flight to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. They asked for a report on the results of last mission from Sir, but he refused to attend the debriefing. She left with a report he created in his place."

"And she was going to tell me this when? When she gets back?" He had to fight the urge to roll his eyes before quickly adding, "...Thank you, JARVIS." The A.I. did not reply, but Rhodey knew the thank you was appreciated. He continued on after the exchange until he was right in front of the glass door to the lab. But his anger was forgotten as he watched the scene before him on the other side of the glass...

*A few minutes earlier*

"This little shit is totally out to get me."

"Sir, I'm afraid the boot is not out to get you. It would appear you seem to be blaming it for your inability to fix the damage in the heel without injuring yourself."

"Shut up JARVIS. It's out to get me, I swear. You're an A.I., it's a robotic boot. Is there some secret alliance here that I should know about?"

"I do believe you told me to shut up, Sir."

Tony snorted and rolled his eyes as he wiped the blood from his small cut onto a rag he kept on the table top. The boot had developed a glitch and was now jerking in random directions on its own, which was what Tony was attempting to repair. It didn't help that it had damaged the heel, and had suddenly decided it needed to be closer to him as he was working the sharp, mangled metal. And now the A.I. was trying to outwit the master. That was unacceptable, something needed to be done. Maybe grease on all the cameras. Oh, that sounded good. He smirked at the thought of an irritated JARVIS having to clean his "eyes".

At the end of this train of thought, Tony looked up at the TV while he sipped his glass of wine. His usual smirk found its way onto his face. Rhodey was currently on-screen, accepting the award that was meant for him. He was probably on his way to the house at this very moment to scold Tony for slacking off and calling him last-minute to accept the award for him with the excuse that he "had a cold". It was also expected that Pepper would be contacting him in the morning as well. God, they were just perfect for each other weren't they? He snickered and moved turn off the TV when the next program started. What he saw made him to pause.

"JARVIS freeze that frame please, and bring it up on the big screen." Tony didn't even blink as he watched the picture move from the small television to a holographic screen in the center of the room. "Bring up the opacity." The picture slowly became more solid in color, and Tony dragged his desk chair so he could sit while he gazed at it. His legs were already cramped from working for hours.

The whole time, Tony kept his eyes locked on the person on the screen. His eyes drinking up the sight as he sank into his seat. She was just like he remembered. It was only a picture being shown on the news, and still it felt like she was really there. He never really looked at her picture much anymore, it was too painful. He would sit there for hours staring at her face and get lost in the memories, much like he was now. It was always the same.

First, he would think of her hair. The bangs always pushed to the side and slightly curled at the ends. The way it came down to her waist but looked shorter because of the dark, chocolate brown waves and curls. They weren't crazy curls, like how they could be when her hair was short. He chuckled and sipped his wine again, remembering the look of shock on her face as she gazed in horror at the curly mess her hair had become after losing several inches for the first time. He'd been in fits of laughter, finally glad that she'd talked him into coming as her moral support. "Never again," she'd told him. And she'd meant it. Once it had grown back to the length she liked, it was only ever trimmed or thinned out. Just to maintain the length and style. Personally, he liked it better that way too. He could bunch it together in his hands, or run his fingers through it.

Then Tony's eyes would drift to her face and he'd get lost in her deep brown orbs. They practically lit up whenever he'd enter the room. And when she smiled people couldn't help but join in her happiness, Tony included. Her eyes had always been so expressive, you could always see what she was feeling if you looked carefully enough. It was a talent of his, figuring out exactly how she felt. He was proud of it too.

Her eyes being so bright also meant that she had a killer puppy dog pout. It always turned him to butter in her hands (everyone really, but he liked to think he was the only one who actually mattered. And he was.), only she was capable of doing it, but she never took advantage of it. Maybe once, but the vacation they took was totally worth it. It was usually used in an effort to get him to be more responsible, or to take care of himself. She did that a lot...taking care of him...worrying about him. Hell, she'd been doing it since the day they'd met all the years ago. He definitely appreciated it now more than he had back then.

His eyes drifted over her face, and he could feel the intense longing filling up his entire being. God, he missed her. The smiles, the tinkling laughter, the way she puffed out her cheeks if she was irritated, the way his hand fit perfectly with hers, how she was just the perfect height for him to rest his chin atop her head. All of it. Subconsciously, Tony's hand drifted toward the image before him. He wanted to feel her, to know that she was right here next to him and was real. But his hand drifted through the screen. He clenched his fist as his hand hovered on the other side of the screen.

Remembering himself, Tony sank back into his seat and sipped his wine. His expression became blank, unfeeling. As he tried to collect himself, he could feel the concern radiating from the JARVIS. But he couldn't be bothered affirming that yes, he was okay. He knew if he opened his mouth he wouldn't be able to hold it in anymore. And he couldn't have that; he would not break now after all this time. After several agonizing minutes, he got rid of the screen with a flick of his hand and stood up. Kicking the chair back towards the desk, he walked back to the boot that was sitting on the workbench. He couldn't seem to get back to working on it though. His interest was long gone. So he stared at it, clenching the edge of the table and leaning on his hands, and thought of her. She'd probably be giggling now, teasing him for being so distracted and hurting himself while she rummaged around for a bandage. Teasing; it was another one of her ways of showing she cared.

Eventually, the silence became unbearable. He thought about turning on music, but that would end up off within the first 5 minutes. The TV would end up the same way. He berated himself, knowing exactly what he wanted to do. He knew it was stupid; it wouldn't bring her back. But for a few minutes, he could feel like she was with him. Turning away from the desk, he made up his mind. One more time. Just one more time.

"JARVIS, play Visual Recording 365, opacity at 100%."

"...Of course, Sir."

He waited in silence for a while, waiting for JARVIS to load what he asked for. He heard the buzz of a hologram forming. Then came that familiar giggle.

"Y'know Tony, you're going to wear yourself out working like this."

Slowly, he turned back to the table. And there she was. Perched on the edge, and smiling at him like she always did. She had one of his band shirts on, with her shorts peeking out from under the fabric. She just stared at him, swinging her legs, waiting for him to reply. He'd programmed the recordings like that; to pause until he answered before continuing. He smirked at her and crossed his arms.

"I am not. You're just saying that because you want to get me all to yourself."

"Uh huh, right. You keep telling yourself that, Casanova." The hologram rolled her eyes. "You really should get some sleep."

"Are you trying to tell me to get in your bed?"

"Anthony Stark, you are THE most impossible man I have ever met."

"But I'm YOUR impossible man. And you love me for it anyway."

There was a sigh, "Yes...you know I do."

He pretended acted exasperated as he paced to where he knew her recorded gaze would be moving. "If you really want me to go to sleep, then I will. See? I'm walking to the door right now."

He held up his hands and backed towards the door, watching as she giggled and hopped off the desk to follow him. It had been a while since he'd last used one of these; he'd almost forgotten how she practically glided across the floor as she walked.

"If you're going, then hurry up slowpoke."

Tony stopped, knowing what she'd do next. She walked right up to him and poked his arc reactor. Or, at least, it looked like she did.

"Have I ever told you I love the blue coming from your arc reactor? It's so pretty."

"You tell me all the time. No worries though, I never get tired of hearing you say it."

A smirk came to her lips as she squinted at him and scrunched up her nose, "You're such a flatterer. You know that? I bet you use that line on all the girls."

"Nope, only you. Who needs other girls when I've got you?" He reached forward to flick her holographic nose, even though he couldn't feel it.

She giggled again and rubbed her nose, swatting her hand at him. "Oh, go to bed already Tony. You've got the worst dark circles right now and you don't even know it."

He backed up more and pressed the button to open the door, "And yet, I'm still gorgeous! How amazing is that?"

This time her laugh came out fully, and he drank in the sight of her holding her stomach as she tried to muffle her laughter with her other hand.

"Aren't you coming to bed too? You're not going to leave me all alone in that dark, depressing room are you?" He pouted at her; he'd developed a pretty good puppy dog face after being around her for so long.

She smiled and nodded, "I'll be there in a little while, just let me clean up the mess you made in here first." Of course, the room was spotless now other than the discarded glass of wine and the boot parts on the table. This recording was from a day when Tony had managed to trash his entire lab in a fit of inspiration.

"Alright, fine then. Spoil sport. Goodnight, then." He put on his signature smirk and gave her a wave as he stood there.

She had already turned around and looked like she was rummaging through one of the piles that had been on the floor there that night. But she looked over her shoulder after his response and smiled that sweet smile he adored, "Goodnight Tony, sweet dreams."

The hologram cut off there, and Tony was once again alone. He shut the door to the lab and wandered back to the middle of the room, feeling the smirk fall from his face. He felt...empty. If there was a moment when he missed her most it would be now. His fingers combed through his hair as he felt the familiar loneliness he'd grown accustomed to fall over the room once again. Sure he had Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, and even JARVIS. But he missed HER. He needed her here. She had become a vital part of him now, and he was struggling to live without her. It had been years now, and she was still on his mind every minute of every day.

"JARVIS, pull up the search program."

A glowing hologram of the world came into view, with points marked off in places. He circled around it, as if glaring at it long enough would give him the answer he desired the most.

"Have there been any hits since I last checked?"

"No, Sir. I'm afraid nothing has come up as of late."

Tony groaned in frustration. His fingers ran through his hair again and he sighed. He'd looked everywhere, searched every nook and cranny he could think to look. But there was still nothing. He wasn't any closer than he was when he'd started. He had no idea what he was doing wrong. By now, his breathing was coming fast. His pulse was racing as his mood continued on its downward spiral. Tony whirled around, fingers wrapping around the abandoned wine glass and flinging it at the closest wall. He watched as it shattered while he tried to reel in his emotions.

As soon as he was calm, Tony turned back to the table and placed his elbows on top, resting his head in his hands. His mind was throwing so many thoughts at him: places he may have missed, details he might have overlooked. And the memories... so many memories. His eyes began to water, but he fought it. No. He would not break now, he had to keep looking. He'd promised her. And he would keep this one, if it was the last thing he did. His gaze drifted back to the global search hologram, but he wasn't really seeing it.

"JARVIS, how long has she been gone?"

"Exactly two years as of today, Sir."

"How many hits have we had in the search so far?"

"Forty-five thousand, Sir."

"How many have come up with nothing?"

"...Forty-five thousand, Sir."

Tony's head hurt. He was under intense stress these days, contrary to what he led many to believe. Her absence was taking its toll on him. He didn't know how much longer it would be before he fell to pieces again. The last time had been disastrous. He would have destroyed his whole lab if it hadn't been for Rhodey and Pepper. He would not go back to that place again. He couldn't do that to them again. His gaze swept over the corner of the lab where he kept the pictures; all the pictures that had even a glimpse of her in them. He'd moved them there after his first episode. He just couldn't look at them anymore. But tonight he did. His gaze landed on a picture of them as children. Before he knew how important she would be to him. He smiled at the look of pure joy on both of their faces.

"Where are you, Clove?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again! I managed to get the second chapter done in one day :)**

**It's already gotten so many views, I'm really glad people are reading my story. Feel free to review, and if you see a spelling mistake, please, PLEASE point it out to me. I've been trying really hard to not make any mistakes but I always miss something.**

**I hope you enjoy this new chapter, I thought the beginning was just so cute.**

**Lots of Love, ThinkEasy**

**(Update: 7/25/13- I ended up changing the last part of this chapter because it seriously felt like one of THE most cliche ways to end a chapter ever. I think what I replaced it with is much better, and it helps me with the flow of the next one. Chapter 3 is in the works right now, it's about halfway done.)**

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The Florence home had always been bright and cheerful. Located on the edge of the Los Angeles suburbs, anyone passing by could hear the laughter of children. Jonathan Florence was a military man, and he strived to ensure that his family was always happy. He was outgoing and always full of energy, and could gush about his wife and children for hours. Anna Florence was a quiet, caring woman. She spent her days at home looking after the children, who were her pride and joy. Much of her time was spent tending to the garden with her youngest child, ten year old Clove, while the older two played in the large yard. Rosemarie and Gale had always been more outgoing like Jonathan, while Clove was nearly identical to her mother. She was cheerful and soft spoken, but at times would show the sharp wit she inherited from her father. Her family adored her, even Gale, though he showed it differently from the rest in the form of pranks.

During summer vacation, Clove spent her days as her mother's shadow. She would help in the garden, clean, and bake goodies for her family. Sometimes though, Clove would spend a day in the large apple tree in the back of the garden, watching the neighbors. Actually, she didn't really care about the adults. They seemed like scary people. Clove didn't really like scary people. Their son however, was...interesting. He was the only other child she knew lived nearby, but she'd never actually talked to him. And yet, he looked so lonely. She didn't think he had anyone to play with, like she had Rosie and Gale. He was always alone, sitting by the window in his room. He never looked out though, even when she was right there watching him. Sometimes she wished he did, other times she didn't. What if he was scary too? She didn't know if she would want to watch him anymore. But for now, it was fun to sit in her tree and watch him play by himself as she waited for him to notice her.

One day though, as she climbed up the tree in her favorite white dress, she found a surprise waiting for her. Tied to her favorite branch was a pink balloon, and attached to the string was a little note: "Look up." Curious, she raised her eyes from the note in her hands, and to her surprise the neighbor boy was perched in the tree across from her in his yard.

"Hello, my name's Anthony, Anthony Stark. But you can call me Tony," he announced with a grin.

She frowned, "How'd you get the balloon in my tree?" Tony laughed, "I climbed of course, real fast too. Straight over the fence and into your tree. Nobody even saw me," he announced proudly.

"How'd you know I was up here? You never saw me." She was sure of it; she'd never seen him look out the window once while she was there.

"You remember when you fell out of the tree two weeks ago?" Clove nodded, that'd hurt more than the time she'd slipped and fell off the monkey bars. "You made a lot of noise, and I saw you getting up and walking inside. You're kind of clumsy, aren't ya?"

She could feel her face turning red, "Am not!" He laughed again, "Are too!" She let out her breathe in a huff and sat down, dangling her legs off the branch.

"What's your name anyways?" Clove glanced at him; was he going to laugh like the other kids when she told him? She didn't think so. "My name's Clove Florence." She didn't look at him for awhile until she felt her branch shake under some new weight. She looked up to see Tony next to her, having climbed to the branch a foot from hers on his tree and hopped over.

"Clove huh? I like it." Her eyes shot up towards his face, and he was smiling. "Really?" she asked. "Yeah, it's pretty." Her face turned red again, not many kids at school thought her name was pretty. They usually made fun of her when they found out she was named after a weird looking flower.

She looked up at him again, really looking at his face this time. He had short, messy brown hair and chocolate colored eyes like her, but he was taller. And he had a mischievous glint in his eye, like Gale did before he pushed her into a puddle or pulled some other crazy prank. His smile was kind of lazy, like he never really had to worry about much. In all he looked...goofy. She couldn't help but giggle at her word choice. Tony's smile seemed to widen at the sound, as he dropped down to sit next to her on the branch. "How old are you?" Clove asked between her giggles. "I'm twelve." She nodded, that sounded about right, since he was so much taller. Then again, Clove had always been small for her age. She let a quick frown grace her face before she smiled again.

"Do you have any friends Tony?" His smile faltered at the question, "Not really, we're only here during the summer. And then back home I don't really know anyone my age." Clove frowned. Well, that would need to be fixed. Having no friends at all is awful. She would know; she didn't really have any other than Rosie and Gale. "Would you like to be my friend then?" He looked up at her, surprised. "I like you. You're funny." She grinned at him then. "You want to be my friend?" It seemed like he didn't really believe her. Clove thought about a way to convince him that she meant it, and then it came to her.

She held her pinky out to him,"My mom says when you pinky promise something, you gotta keep it. Or you get in really big trouble. So, I pinky promise to be be your best friend." Tony's eyes widened as he looked at her, and she had to admit, he looked a hundred times goofier with his face like that. "Best friend...forever?" She nodded her head vigorously, "Yup." He stared at her for a minute before smiling and slowly bringing his pinky up to meet hers. "It's a promise then."

"Anthony! Where are you?"

Tony looked at Clove sadly. "I gotta go," he whispered. She nodded, "Will you be here tomorrow?" He thought about it for a minute before grinning at her and crossing back to his own tree. "Yeah, you'll be here right?" She smiled back at him and nodded again. "Alright then, see you tomorrow Clove." And then he was gone.

From that point on, Tony would come back to the Los Angeles suburbs every summer to see the girl who fell out of the apple tree. Each day, Tony would rush through breakfast and then run up the stairs to get ready. And then when Clove climbed up into her tree, there he was. Always with a different colored balloon and that goofy grin on his face.

"Miss Florence, over here please!"

"Miss Florence, would you answer a question for our magazine really quick?"

"Miss Florence!"

I quickly walked through the crowd on the red carpet, smiling and posing for a few pictures along the way. I managed to autograph a few things, as well as give every child I saw a quick hug and a pat on the head. My mind really wasn't focused on the crowd as much today though; I needed to find Tony before he ended up getting into some kind of trouble...again.

Eventually, Tony's parents had died and he didn't spend as much time at his summer home as he had before. Soon enough, he never came at all. But I would get letters every week. We lost touch altogether once I got into college, but I always remembered him. Once I graduated, I'd had no idea where I was going to come up with a job. And then lo and behold: an official looking letter from Stark Industries shows up offering me a job as Tony Stark's "handler". I had absolutely no idea what a "handler" was, but I jumped at the chance to see Tony again. So, I packed up and moved to an apartment in Malibu. Too bad this Tony wasn't the same as the one I remembered. In the time we'd been out of touch, he'd become a playboy...and a bit of a party animal. It made me sad, but sometimes I would see my Tony shine through, and it gave me hope that maybe the boy I ended up falling in love with was still there. In my current situation though, the new Tony was all anyone could see.

Turns out being Tony's handler means I make sure he shows up on time for things, and that he behaves himself while he's there. Basically: if he goes, I go. So, I get to go to all the nice parties and events. I would enjoy more of them if Tony could actually manage to be good, but I'll take what I can get. I've actually become a bit of a celebrity myself, given the fact that I'm THE Tony Stark's childhood friend...and his handler. Anyway, I also work with Pepper to deal with the media and their outrageous, albeit true, stories. You can probably already tell that we have some very, very hectic days. You get used to it though...slowly.

"C'mon, where are you Tony?" I was pushing my way through the enormous crowd now, trying to get to Tony. We were at a huge childhood cancer awareness charity event. Pepper and I had decided that it would be a good idea to get some positive attention by having Tony volunteer to give a speech for everyone. And I wanted to see the children. There was something I loved about kids; I could never get enough of them.

I was kind of glad I kept Pepper from attending too many of these things with Tony, I'm sure the added stress on top of all her other work as his P.A. would drive her insane. We'd become as close as sisters since I'd begun working for Tony. She would look out for me, and I would look out for her. And I'm sure she knew I loved Tony, she knew everything about me. I definitely knew she had a thing for Rhodey. She made it quite obvious. I'm sure he loved her too; his eyes always seemed to linger on her. She was so popular with men; even Tony loved her.

But more on that later. I needed to find my best friend.

"Tony? Tony, where are you?" It was so cramped in the crowd. My height wasn't helping, as I couldn't see over anyone like Tony could. I managed to make my way to Happy, who I knew was always somewhere close to Tony. I stopped to catch my breath before looking up at him, "Have you seen him?" He nodded, pointing down toward the casino of the hotel we were at. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Things are never going to go as planned, are they?

As I practically ran towards the casino in my high heels, receiving many greetings and sympathetic nods, I wondered if today was one of those days where I'd have a perverted, drunken Tony on my hands. It was usually the case, but one can always hope. When I reached the door I managed to turn around and shoot everyone around me a bright smile before slipping inside. Hopefully, that could keep people from talking until I figured out the situation. God knows what I was going to find.

"I said scotch on the rocks! This is not scotch on the rocks!"

My head immediately started to throb as I heard the drunken cries. I'd let him come ahead of me an hour early, and this was my punishment. I just knew it. As I whipped my head around searching for the source of the commotion, I managed to spot the large crowd around one of the bars. Of course, there always had to be witnesses. Great. "Excuse me, pardon me. I'm so sorry ma'am but I really need to get through. If you could scoot over, just a little bit..." Finally, after fighting to get through for what seemed like forever, I found what I was looking for. I had to fight the urge to scream in frustration. There was Tony, hap hazardously swinging around an empty glass in front of the bartender's face...absolutely smashed. His tie had been discarded somewhere, and his dress shirt was untucked and wide open. For a second I actually considered just leaving him here on his own and going home. But then reality hit me, and I remembered that fixing these problems was my job, and I very much needed it. Besides, there wasn't time to retreat. I'd been spotted.

"Clove! How are you my pretty kitty? I haven't seen you in... Forever!"

"It's been an hour Tony. I see you found the bar." I forced myself to smile as he drunkenly swayed towards me. He carelessly wrapped an arm around my shoulders and reeked of alcohol. I almost gagged, I hated the stuff. As I glanced from his face to the crowd, I couldn't help but sigh. There would be no speech today.

Pulling out my cell phone, I called Happy and told him that we needed to leave. He agreed, and showed up not a minute later, relieving me of my drunken best friend. We tried to make our way out of the hotel as subtly as possible, but Tony wasn't helping much. "I am a genius, all the women love me! You my friend, have the ugliest suit in the world I must say. Who dressed you, a monkey?" The man he was referring to was very offended, even as I tried my hardest to apologize for Tony's ghastly behavior. I was ready to go home, tired of Tony pulling these stunts. And I'd just arrived too. We were leaving for Afghanistan tomorrow and this was going to be his last public appearance for awhile. He'd managed to screw it up big time.

By the time we made it to the door Tony had managed to offend almost everyone in the lobby, as well as make several children cry. I was almost in tears myself. He had never been this bad. What was wrong with him today? At least he had finally passed out, or close to it. It looked like he wouldn't be able to talk from this point on.

Camera flashes were coming from every direction as we made our way back down the red carpet towards the car. We were halfway there when I felt a tug on my arm.

"Excuse me Miss Florence. Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair. I must say, you look absolutely stunning in that dress this evening." I knew this woman. Tony had had a fling with her a few months back, and she was still quite bitter over being tossed aside. Technically, she should have know it was going to happen. It always does.

Even as she was complimenting me, her eyes were daggers. She'd never liked me, as I was always with Tony. Nevertheless, I flashed her as genuine a smile as I could manage. "Hello Christine and thank you. I love your dress too. It's gorgeous." She gave me a huge fake smile, practically dripping with hate. "I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me." My smile faltered a bit at that. I glanced around her at the retreating figures of Happy and my drunken boss. "I'm sorry, but I really need to go." She wasn't having any of that. "Oh, but just a quick question! Please?" They were at the car now; there was no time for chit chat anymore. "I'm so sorry Christine, but I really must be leaving now!" I pushed past her and made a mad dash towards the car, helping Happy maneuver Tony into the back seat before sliding in myself.

We sped off as fast as Happy could take us. I rested my face in my hands. That was an absolute disaster. What was I going to tell Pepper? Actually, knowing her she probably already knew and was waiting for us right now back at Tony's. I glanced at him next to me. He was lying on the seat, passed out and drooling. Even as drunk as he was, I still thought he was handsome. It only helped to make me feel worse though. Here I am, sitting here thinking about how cute he looks drooling like that while he's managed to publicly embarrass himself AGAIN. I slapped my cheeks a few times. I needed to focus on the problem.

To distract myself, I looked down at my dress. It was a cream colored halter that fell halfway down my thighs. I was formfitting until it reached my waist and then flared out with white layers underneath to keep the shape. Tony had bought it for me. I'd tried it on at a boutique and instantly fallen in love with it, but it had been well out of my price range. He'd jumped at the opportunity to spoil me and insisted on paying for it... and also took the liberty of calling me a crème puff. It had been one of those moments when I felt like I'd had my Tony back. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I played with the fabric, waiting to arrive at our destination.

After arriving and struggling to carry Tony to his room with Happy as well as discussing the details of the latest scandal with Pepper, I was left to look after the still sleeping billionaire. I managed to wrestle him into his favorite band shirt before tucking him under the covers of his bed. I sat on the bed next to him and stared for a few minutes, thinking about the intense hangover he was bound to have the next day. Subconsciously, I smoothed out his hair before pulling away. It took a bit of effort to get up, but I figured if I was going to rest, it would be better to find a spot not on Tony's bed. Collapsing into the armchair on the other side of the room, I curled up and closed my eyes, trying to relax after that awful experience.

I guess I managed to fall asleep, because I opened my eyes and it was already morning. I glanced at Tony, he looked so peaceful sleeping. It was like all his troubles just faded away. All the lines from his partying and stress smoothed out. I had to fight the urge to kiss his forehead, instead moving to stretch my sore limbs. There was a groan behind me, and as I turned I was met with two beautiful brown orbs.

"Clove?" His voice was still thick with sleep, and I was almost sure he'd pass out again. But, he managed to sit up.

"Good morning Tony." It was all I could really say. I was still upset with him over what happened last night, and he knew it.

"You're upset with me."

"No, I'm absolutely overjoyed at the fact that you managed to get smashed within an hour of arriving at the hotel," I deadpanned. Tony tried using his puppy pout on me, but I was having none of that.

"Do you realize what you've done? You were at a charity event Tony. For childhood cancer awareness! Not only that but you managed to piss off almost everyone there, as well as make some of the kids cry. And then you embarrassed yourself yelling at the bartender about God knows what and I'm pretty sure everyone thinks you're just an idiotic drunk!" I was gasping for breath as I finished, clenching and unclenching my fists as I tried to reel in my anger. I shouldn't be yelling at him, he's probably got a hangover, and I'm only making things worse. And we're leaving today. Plus, he probably doesn't even care.

I was right too. He rolled his eyes and stood up, "Look Clove, you're totally blowing things out of proportion. It's fine. I'm THE Tony Stark. Nothing's going to happen. The only thing people care about is that I'm rich, famous, and I get A LOT of women." He flashed that award winning smile he has, but all I could do was frown. This was wrong. How could he just brush it off like it was nothing?

I looked down; I could feel the tears stinging my eyes. The mental exhaustion from everything was finally getting to me, and I couldn't stop myself from saying what I'd been wanting to for years. My voice came out as a whisper, "What are you doing Tony? You're making things so much worse for yourself acting like this. Is this really what you want, to be known as the drunken billionaire who causes scenes and sleeps with women before ditching them like they're nothing?"

I couldn't see his expression, but I didn't really want to. His shadow drifted towards me a bit before stopping. "Clove? C'mon, it'll blow over by the time we get back. The media's a bunch a crap, they blow things up and spread lies to the public. When have I ever cared about the media?"

"That's not the point Tony! Why are you acting like this? Why are you being so irresponsible and reckless? Where's the boy I grew up with? The witty, funny boy with the goofy smile?"

The tears were spilling freely now, and I was trying hard not to sob. I couldn't watch him do this anymore. He was becoming a monster, and I'd just stood by and watched it happen. His shadow moved even closer, his hand reaching for me. "Clove, I'm still me. What are you talking about?"

I looked up at him now and met his gaze. He looked worried, and as he took in my tears his eyes widened. He'd never made me cry, even when he'd stopped coming to visit.

"I don't even know you anymore..." It came out so quietly I could barely hear it myself.

We both froze, and I knew immediately that had been the wrong thing to say.

I quickly started rubbing at my eyes, trying to come up with a way to cover my slip-up. Giving a shaky giggle, I smiled as best I could. "I must be really tired, huh? I don't even know what I'm saying. Maybe I should take a nap during the flight."

Tony wasn't buying it. He stepped forward again, an expression I'd never seen before on his face, and I shuffled back. Frantic to get away, my words came out in a rush, "I should let you pack. It wouldn't be good if you showed up without anything to take care of yourself with right? I'll see you in a bit! Okay bye!"

With that I turned around and charged towards the door. Too late. A hand wrapped around my wrist and tugged me back. "You honestly want me to believe that you're perfectly fine? After looking at me like THAT?!" He was upset now and his eyes scanned my face, trying to decipher how I really felt behind the smile plastered there. I was lying through my teeth and he knew it. You can't really lie to Tony. He was too smart to be tricked. I felt that familiar glimmer of hope that maybe Tony could get better. He was actually worried now, and I felt better knowing deep down he still actually cared. Or at least convincing myself that he was indeed worried and that he did care.

I twisted back towards him and beamed, meaning it this time. "I'm always fine Tony, when am I ever not?" For a second he was confused, and then his face became stony. He'd realized what I was now doing. I'd dismissed it all, everything we'd both said up to this point. Just to keep him from having to worrying. His mouth opened to say something.

I was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again everyone! **

**Took me a few days to get this written. I was having a hard time getting back into my groove after the last chapter. But it's done now!**

**Just putting this out there: to my first favorites, followers, and my first reviewer... You all gave me the biggest confidence boost ever. I was literally jumping for joy when I saw something other than a zero for the first time. So thank you, for brightening my day :)**

**And yes, I did use part of the script from the movie for the last few scenes. I thought the seen was important to keep as intact as possible, so there it is. Now go on, enjoy!**

**Lots of Love, ThinkEasy.**

* * *

I spent a lot of time thinking about what happened after getting home. Sure, I was still upset with Tony. And I'm sure that he deserved to be yelled at after all these years. But I still couldn't help regretting it. At least I had been able to regain some semblance of normalcy at the end. Maybe I'd managed to throw him off enough that he'd just dismiss it. The last thing I wanted was to strain my relationship with Tony. I was one of the few people he had left. Yes, there was Rhodey, Pepper, JARVIS, and Obadiah. But...that's only a handful of people. Everyone else: the media, the public; they don't care. They don't know the real Tony; the Tony that we knew was buried beneath what he had become. Now that I thought about it; since his parents died, I couldn't really remember the last time one of Tony's smiles actually reached his eyes. Or the last time his laugh hadn't had that hollow note you could hear these days. I knew he was never close to his parents, but I'm sure it still hurt knowing they were gone. Other than Obadiah, I was the only person left to remind him of the time they were here. Back when things were simpler. Before I fell in love with Tony, and before everything started falling to pieces.

Speaking of Obadiah, he'd been acting...strange lately. I paused in my packing. Normally, Tony would have an episode like last night and Obie (as I'd come to know him) would be home waiting for us, ready to mediate the arguments we were bound to have. Or, the arguments Tony and Pepper were bound to have. I wasn't really one for confrontation, contrary to what happened this morning. As of late though, Obie seemed angrier. He would snap at Tony, Pepper, and I at every little thing. The slightest mistake warranted a lecture. It was odd, to say the least. I wasn't really sure what was going on. I knew he was constantly under a lot of pressure, but he'd never been mean about it. I made a mental note to talk to him when we came back.

Sighing, I looked over everything in my bag. Everything seemed to be in order. I even managed to pack an extra set of clothes just in case. I jogged to the bathroom of my apartment to look myself over one last time. Favorite white v-neck? Check. Comfy cropped sweatpants? Double check. Shoes? Yup, the TOMS are on my feet. Hair? Eh, a little messy. But that's why it's called a messy bun, right? I combed through my bangs a bit before shrugging and snapping up an extra rubber band in case I lost the one I'd packed. It was bound to happen.

Glancing at my watch, I realized I was running a little behind schedule. I dashed out to my car, tossing the bags in the backseat before heading out to Tony's private airstrip. The great thing about your best friend owning your flight is that you don't have to worry about being there exactly on time. Still, I liked to at least be able to keep Rhodey from dying of boredom while we waited for Mr. Slowpoke. And that meant getting there on-time, because Rhodey would arrive perfectly punctual and Tony would arrive...eventually. Normally several hours later. We'd pretty much given up hope on his "habit" ever going away. Oh well, more Rhodey time for me. I giggled at that as I pulled up to the edge of the strip. "Rhodey time". Is that a thing? That should definitely be a thing.

As I stepped out to grab my bags a thought crossed my mind. Was I going to be able to face Tony? My eyes rolled almost immediately. Of course I could. I am Clove Florence, and I will not let a little outburst that may or may not have mentally scarred Tony for life keep me from acting like I always do. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I sighed. Okay, maybe this was going to be a little harder than I thought. "Just smile and pretend like everything's okay. I can do that right? Yeah..." At this point I was trotting towards the awaiting jet chanting, "Just smile. Just smile. Just smile. It'll be fine. You've still got time to prepare. He's not going to show up for at least another two hours." Thank you, Irony. I absolutely love you.

The silhouette I had previously believed to be Rhodey was in fact, Tony Stark. On-time too; that was new. My eyes widened as I came closer. He was sitting on the stairs leading up to the jet like he was...waiting. I froze. He was waiting for me. Was he here to apologize? That had to be it; why else would he be here right now? As soon as he'd heard my footsteps he looked up, and his eyes were determined as they locked on me. My stomach burst into butterflies, and I could feel my face burning up. Not that look, anything but that look. The guilt I'd been keeping at bay while packing was slowly eating me up now. And to my horror, I still felt that familiar twitch of disappointment. Even after my whole little pep-talk from the car to this spot, I still couldn't help but be upset with him. I could hear that little voice in my head screaming, "Breathe Clove! And don't mess this up! Just forgive him!"

I managed to smile a little as he moved closer. Tony would apologize, I'd forgive him, and we would get past this. He looked nervous, shifting from foot to foot. Couldn't even meet my gaze anymore. It was like whatever he wanted to say was having a hard time getting out. I could have laughed then, it was almost comical. "C'mon Tony, it's two words. I know you're not used to saying them but it's not as hard as you think it is." Right as I'd finished my internal monologue, his casual smirk found its way to his face and he opened his mouth, "So...I was wondering, what should I get Pepper for her birthday? Because it seems I've forgotten it was today, and apparently letting her buy herself something with my money doesn't count...according to Rhodey."

"What...?" It was like the world stopped. My brain seemed to be having a hard time wrapping itself around what I'd just heard. And suddenly, it hit me. Tony wasn't here early for me, he was here for Pepper. I let out a chuckle as I reached up to pull the pins out of my hair, running my fingers through it as it fell down. Then my face went blank. I dropped my gaze to my shoes, letting my newly freed hair become a safety curtain between me and Tony. And I smiled. But there was no happiness behind it. "Clove, you silly girl. You've fooled yourself again. Tony Stark doesn't apologize. Looks like you threw him off after all."

After what felt like hours, I brought my gaze up to him again and tucked my hair behind my ear. I was tired; tired of getting my hopes up and having them smashed to pieces. At least he was looking out for Pepper. I could help him with this one. "You're hopeless Tony," I sighed. My smile felt forced, almost mechanical as it stretched across my face. "Did you think about just doing something simple? Think about what she likes, and then surprise her. Maybe even something with sentimental value. I'm sure she'll love whatever you decide." A look I couldn't recognize flicked across his face before the smirk returned. "Yeah, you're right. Of course you are. Thanks Clove."

"Anytime Tony..." He'd already disappeared inside. I stared at the spot where he'd just been and sighed again. I was doing that a lot lately.

"Don't give up yet Clove, he'll figure it out eventually." I practically jumped out of my skin at the sound of another voice. Between pitifully feeling sorry for myself and wondering how I was going to get through this trip, I'd somehow managed to zone out. Slowly, I turned around to find myself face-to-face with the object of Pepper's affection.

"Rhodey!" He stumbled back laughing as I tackled him. "Calm down Clove! You saw me last week." I pulled away pouting playfully, my hurt feelings forgotten for now. "That's a long time! It's like a bajillion hours and I missed you." He gave me his best exasperated look as I continued to pout before a giggle from me sent us into fits of laughter. As I gasped for breath Rhodey reached out to smooth out my bangs, grinning at me, "There we go. A smile suits you much better." I beamed at him, before remembering my previous conversation with Tony. He caught my mood shift and rested his hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it, I'm sure he was trying to figure out a way to apologize and just got stuck. Although...today IS Pepper's birthday, so that was probably actually bugging him too. Just ignore him until he's ready. You know what these kinds of things do to his pride." He smirked at that last part and I couldn't help but giggle again.

We continued our cheerful reunion as we boarded. But when we stepped into the main cabin a chill ran down my spine. The space was oozing bad vibes, and I turned my head to see Tony glaring daggers at us. I kept the smile on my face as I leaned closer to Rhodey, who'd noticed Tony's foul mood as well. "Tony looks scary..." I murmured between my teeth. He snuck a glance at me, "I think he's upset that I got a better greeting than he did, and that he didn't have the balls to apologize properly." I slapped my hand over my mouth and turned away, trying my best not to laugh. The daggers became swords, and Rhodey dragged me forward into the seat next to him as I composed myself.

"Hey, Tony! Heard about that little incident yesterday from Pepper. How's that working out for you?" His tone was almost mocking as he rested his chin in the palm of one hand. If looks could kill, I'm sure Rhodey would have been a pile of ash at this point. Tony's face as a whole looked passive, but I swear his eyes were red. "Pepper already figured out a fix. Yesterday's incident was yesterday. Old news. You need to catch up with the now." Rhodey shot me a wink as he turned to face the table on my other side. "**I'm sorry**, Clove. But I'm really thirsty. Could you pass me a drink?" I was a little confused, but happily handed him what he asked for. He rolled his eyes at my questioning look and gestured towards the man across from us.

The look on Tony's face practically screamed murder. I quickly glanced back and forth between my companions as I tried to piece together what had happened. The light-bulb went off after several minutes and I paled. Rhodey was calling out Tony on his lame attempt at apologizing. In an instant, my forgotten sadness rose to the surface again. I shot up out of my seat and pointed in the general direction of my room, "I'll just be over there if anyone needs me, feeling kind of tired right now." Flashing my brightest smile, I zoomed down the hall, shutting the door to my room as calmly as I could before collapsing on the bed. All the exhaustion from the yesterday and this morning threatened to drag me into the world of dreams as soon as my face met the soft blanket. I barely had time to crawl between the covers before I passed out.

* * *

"Knock knock. Nope, too late, I'm already in."

I could hear the sound of my door opening and closing through the haze of my dreams, but I didn't care. Clove was not ready to wake up yet. Carefully, I pulled the covers up over my head and willed whoever had come to leave me in peace.

"No no, you're not getting rid of me that easily Clove."

There was silence for awhile and I frowned. Maybe I was just imagining the voice in my head. But then I felt fingers wrapping around my sides. My eyes snapped open and I shrieked, squirming to get away from the tickling.

"Are you awake now? Are you? I can't hear you. Tell me you're awake or I'll keep going."

I continued to squirm unsuccessfully until the Tony released my sides in favor of my foot, which had somehow been revealed from under the covers in my struggle to get away. I froze. He wouldn't.

"C'mon Clove, I know you can hear me. Say it or I'll do it!"

To reinforce his threat fingers flit across the bottom of my foot. I bit my lip, trying my hardest not to give in. But as he repeated the motion I couldn't take it any longer.

"Okay! I'm up Tony! Now let me go!"

"Great. Now say I'm the smartest, cleverest, most gorgeous man you've ever met."

"But..." There was never a chance I was going to win this; he had me at a disadvantage.

"SAY IT!" His fingers began to tickle again and I couldn't breathe, I was laughing so hard.

"TONY STARK YOU ARE THE SMARTEST, CLEVEREST, MOST GORGEOUS MAN I'VE EVER MET! NOW LET ME GO!"

He continued for a while longer before mercifully letting go and smirking down at me. "Now, was that so hard?"

"Yes, it was the most excruciating thing I've ever had to say."

"That kind of sass will get you nowhere, my dearest Clove."

I flipped over so my face was in the pillow and huffed, "I could say the same thing to you. Now what do you want Tony?" You could practically feel the air grow tense as he stiffened. I didn't catch what was said next.

"What? Tony, I can't hear what you're saying if you murmur like that."

"I said I'm sorry." My eyes widened and I turned my head to face him again. "Tony?" He just stared at me, his eyes full of regret. I could feel my cheeks heating up and pulled the covers up a bit to hide them. his face fell, thinking that I was rejecting his apology. He turned around and was about to head out as I stuck my hand out and grabbed his. I waited for his gaze to return to me before I spoke. "You don't have to force yourself to apologize, Tony." He frowned, squeezing my hand. "I'm not forcing myself. I want to." I smiled at him. There it was, the real Tony hidden under what he'd become. He grinned at me, before releasing my hand and leaning against the wall next to the door. "We're good then?" I nodded, "Yeah, we're good." His usual smirk snaked its way onto his face and he chuckled, "Good, because I'd be totally lost with the whole Pepper thing without you." By this point, I was dozing off again. I yawned, "Of course you would. Didn't you hear me earlier? You're hopeless without me."

* * *

She was out after that. Tony stayed for awhile, just looking at her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her so peaceful like this. He took a few minutes to take in her face. She looked exhausted, with heavy dark circles and paler skin than usual. He frowned. It was his fault. He'd been causing her all this extra stress lately, and it was taking its toll on her health. In that moment, Tony made up his mind. The minute they got home, he would work on getting better. For Clove; the one who'd been there for him since the beginning, and the one who stayed even as he lost himself. He could get better if it was for her. He smiled, moving her bangs away from her face before walking out the door. As he headed back to Rhodey and the party in the main cabin he sighed. Now he just had to figure out what to get for Pepper.

* * *

"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both? With that in mind I humbly present the crown jewel of Stark Industries' Freedom Line. It's the first system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology." Then a dramatic pause...

"They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer a weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it. That's how America does it. And it's worked out pretty well so far. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee you the bad guys won't even want to come out of their caves"

Tony gestured for the topic of this demonstration to be prepared for launch as I steeled myself for what was to come. God, I never liked these weapons. They just screamed danger. And karma. Always a bad combination.

The middle missile launched into the air. Tony smirked as he turned his attention back to the assembled military personnel.

"For your consideration, the Jericho."

He spread his arms out as the missile hit its target, the shockwave causing him to stumble forward. I almost fell back as it hit me, but a younger soldier nearby placed a hand on my back to steady me. I nodded my thanks as Tony wrapped up. "We throw one of these in with every purchase of 500 million or more." He grabbed a drink from the set up he'd brought from the plane and raised it up. "To peace!" I snatched it away from him as his phone began to ring.

"Tony!"

"Obie, what are you doing up?" I squeezed myself between Tony and the phone so I could see too, he looked like he was in a good mood. I smiled and waved. "Hi Obie!"

The man grinned back at me and gave a little wave in return. "Hey there sweetheart. I couldn't sleep until I found out how it went. How'd it go?"

Tony rested his chin in my hair and smiled lazily, holding his arms out on either side of me so we'd both be in the shot, "It went great, looks like it's going to be an early Christmas."

The man on the screen yawned, "Hey! Way to go, my boy! And you managed to behave?"

"Yes, he's been a very good boy!" I called out.

Tony rolled his eyes and lifted me up a bit, placing my feet over his before beginning to trudge toward the waiting hum-vees, causing me to giggle. "We'll see you tomorrow, yeah?...Why aren't you wearing those pajamas I got you?"

Obie's turn to roll his eyes. "Goodnight, Tony." I waved again, "Bye Obie! Sleep well, see you tomorrow!" He grinned again, giving a little salute, "See you tomorrow, sweetheart."

One of the soldiers opened the door for us and I hopped down to walk on my own. "Hey Tony!" I was quickly pushed into the car as Tony scrambled to get in behind me, closing the door before sticking his head out to gaze at Rhodey smugly. "I'm sorry this is the fun-vee, not the hum-drum-vee." I stifled a laugh with my hand, instead turning my attention to the soldiers joining us inside.

As we drove down the road towards base, I smiled as I listened to Tony banter with the soldiers. They were all good people, and it was fun getting the chance to talk to them. When the man in the passenger seat asked about the rumor going around about Tony and the Victoria Secret models, I let out a laugh. Of course he'd want to know about that. Giving Tony a playful slap, I turned my attention towards the younger man next to me. He looked like he wanted to ask something, so I gave him a nod of encouragement. "Would you two mind taking a picture with me?" I beamed, and his friend in the front offered to handle the camera. We moved to get closer together as Tony joked with the young soldier about gang signs. I giggled and smiled for the shot.

We never got that picture.

The hum-vee in front of us went up in flames, and the shockwave threw me forward. Tony grabbed my arms and pulled me back into his chest as explosions went off everywhere. "Tony? What's going on?" His grip tightened and he slid down to the floor. "It's okay; we're going to be okay. I promise." Both soldiers in the front hopped out, firing at an enemy we couldn't see. The man we'd put in charge of the camera shouted at us from outside, only to be shot seconds later. I cringed and started to shake. Tony turned me towards him so I couldn't see anything anymore. "We're still okay. We're okay. Just look at me. Just keep your eyes on me and don't pay attention to what's out there." A spray of bullets flew through the canvas as the soldier supposed to stay with us went down after just exiting the car.

We waited, crouched down on the floor of our hum-vee, listening to the gunshots outside. Tony was running his fingers through my hair as I buried my face in his suit. And then I heard someone messing with the door closest to me. "Tony, someone's trying to get in..." I felt him tense as he tried to get us out the other door. A bullet had managed to hit the locking mechanism and was making it difficult for him to push it open while keeping a grip on me. I glanced at the window, and the strangers eyes locked on me. He didn't even spare Tony a glance. "Tony?! Tony, I think he's coming for me!" He looked out before squeezing my hand and nodding. "Just means we need to get out **now**." And with that he started kicking and pushing on the door with renewed determination.

"Damn it! Open you piece of shit!" My eyes were assaulted with light as it finally flew open. Tony tumbled out without me from the force of his final push. But when I moved to get out as well, the other door opened and hands reached in to grab my leg. My eyes widened in fear as I tumbled to the floor, hitting my head on the edge of the other doorway. "Clove!" I could feel something warm flowing down the side of my face, but I didn't really care. I started kicking and struggling, desperate to get away as Tony scrambled to help me. It was no use. My eyes locked with his and the world slowed down as he grew farther and farther away. I could hear him screaming my name and I fought to get back, struggling against the arms keeping me in place. A piece of cloth was shoved in my face and everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 guys, we're making progress!**

**It's really amazing watching this story grow from that first scene, which was simply an image I conjured up while I was bored washing some dishes. Haha actually, I seem to get a lot of good ideas washing dishes...maybe I should do it more often.**

**Anyway, thank you all for continuing to read my story :). In all honesty, I think I'm having way too much fun pulling together each chapter. It's absolutely ridiculous.**

**I hope you enjoy this newest edition!**

**Lots of Love, ThinkEasy**

* * *

I came to when we arrived at our destination. In the time I'd been unconscious, my hands had been bound and I now had a gag. The chemicals still had me dizzy, but my captors forced me out of trunk they'd thrown me into and onto my feet. My mind was reeling. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know where Tony was, or if he was even alive. My feet almost tripped over themselves at that thought. What if Tony hadn't made it? He could be lying somewhere on the ground right now, bleeding to death and I wouldn't be able to help him. I shook my head furiously, berating myself for assuming the worst. If I was going to make it through this, I needed to stay positive. But it was becoming difficult as we continued through the darkness.

The caves were like a maze. A dark, dangerous maze. Every man we passed had a gun. Every exit had a guard. I knew what they were trying to tell me: there is no escape. I was trapped here, and unless I came across a miracle, I wasn't getting out anytime soon. My steps slowed as I let the realization sink in and I closed my eyes, trying not to panic. A cold sweat had broken out on the back of neck. The man behind me yelled out in a language I didn't know and shoved me forward. Apparently no sanity breaks were allowed.

Eventually we reached an ominous steel door. From the looks the men leading me were giving me told that this was my stop. Anywhere else, a door like this would have made me feel safe...but here, I didn't want to go near it. I knew once I passed those doors, that was it. Any chance of escaping was out the window. I stopped, and the man behind me yelled again. I shook my head vigorously, silently pleading with them to not lock me away; to let me go. But they just laughed. And with the creak of metal and a fierce kick to the back, I fell into a world that still haunts me in my dreams.

"Greetings, Ms. Florence. I assume my men have treated you well?"

The voice was dripping with sarcasm, and as I struggled to my knees it laughed. The metal tip of a boot slipped under my chin and roughly forced me to look up. I'll never forget those eyes. They were sadistic and cruel, almost crazed. I instantly paled, but narrowed my eyes as rebellion bubbled up within me. He smirked in amusement. "It looks like the flower has something she wants to say. Remove the gag."

A bulky man I hadn't noticed before stepped forward and, surprisingly, gently pulled it off. I managed to smile a bit in appreciation before my icy glare returned to the man smugly looking down at me. "Why am I here?" He chuckled, "You are here to aid me in something that will greatly help us in our battles." I rolled my eyes, "I can't help you. I don't know anything about military tactics or weapons. I'm just a girl from the suburbs. And even if I did know something, why would I want to assist you in your very, very dastardly plans?"

His smug expression turned to one of irritation at my mocking tone. "You dare mock the man who holds your life in his hands?!" He pulled out a long knife and slowly crouched to my level, pressing the blade to my neck. I could feel the pain of a cut and fought my instinct to flinch. He grinned at my pain and started talking again, his voice a whisper. "I would watch what I say if I were you, because right now, you're life is not the only one in the balance." My eyes widened and I almost sighed in relief. "Where is he?" The man sneered. "You will see him soon. He is alive. Barely. Not even conscious. However, I would be more worried about yourself than your injured friend." He paused to let that sink in, removing the blade from my neck, as I felt panic rise. "We have weapons, yes. But we do not have what your little friend has created; a weapon of mass destruction. Something that could level an entire village in one strike. So, we brought him here. But we know he will resist us. He will refuse to build us the missile we need...and that is why we have you."

My brain was throwing a million thoughts at me. They were going to use me to get to Tony. I was almost like bait. They would offer my safety in exchange for the missile. But that was a lie. They would shoot me before letting me go. I would know too much by then. Names, the geography of the caves, the weapons. I would be a loose end. They would not let me go. It was the same for Tony. We weren't making it out alive.

"What makes you think Tony would care whether or not I live?" I was bluffing now, but it was the only way I'd get answers. He smirked at me, "Raza has eyes, you know. I see the news articles, and the men I sent to get you regaled us with the tale of a man desperate to save his dearest childhood friend. You cannot lie to me, Miss Florence."

"So I'm your leverage then? You said Tony's not even conscious; you probably don't even know when he'll wake up. What happens to me until he does?" Raza's eyes became slits as a sadistic smile grew on his face. "Who knows? I think you have important information we may find useful in the clever mind of yours. We just need to... find a way to get it out. Plus, you need to be presentable for Mr. Stark when he decides to wake up." My heart was racing now, I knew what he meant. I could feel the sweat on my forehead. My breathing was slowly speeding up. I was afraid. And he knew it.

"It was such a pleasure to meet you Miss Florence. And if I may say, fear is such a lovely expression on your face." Raza laughed darkly, and then left.

He did not leave me alone, though. Two of the men in his little entourage stayed behind; both with sick, twisted smiles on their faces. I was almost in tears now. My eyes were locked on them as they advanced towards me. The first kick threw me across the room. The toe of the boot managed to heavily scratch and bruise at the same time. I could feel the wet spot on the back of my shirt, but there was no time to recover. As soon as I landed, there was another kick. And then a rain of them from everywhere. I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming. I would not give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream for as long as I could help it.

Eventually, the blows stopped. I could feel blood flowing and bruises forming. I'd managed to bite into my lip in pain, and it was now swollen and bloody as well. Tears ran down my face as I laid on the dirty ground, shaking. But my torturers weren't satisfied. I had yet to make a sound. They had a quick discussion, before my situation became much more dangerous: one of them had a knife.

The walls of the caves seemed to make my screams echo everywhere.

* * *

I'd managed to pass out sometime in the middle of the long beating. When I woke up again, I half expected to see them there waiting for me. But to my relief I was in a different room. And there was a strange sensation coming from my back.

"Wait a moment before getting up Miss Florence; I'm almost done cleaning your wounds." This was a different voice: still male, but calm and kind. The voice of someone who was used to comforting people. I could make out the feeling of something cold being dabbed on a scratch and clenched my fist as it burned. "I know it stings, but if we don't get the dirt out they will get infected." This continued for awhile until I was wrapped in bandages, before this new stranger told me it was alright to sit up. Slowly, I lifted myself upright, finally noticing I was laying on some kind of workbench.

"How are you feeling?" I met his gaze and looked him over warily. He was tall and thin. His clothes were neat and orderly, other than the dirt, and he had a pair of glasses perched on his nose. He looked like a scholar, not a fighter. The man held up his hands to show he had no weapons. "My name is Yinsen. I'm a doctor, and a prisoner like you. They want me to translate for Mr. Stark when he wakes up." He gave me a small smile to try and reassure me that he wasn't a threat and I could feel myself relax. I smiled at him and opened my mouth to thank him for helping me...but no sound came out. My eyes widened as I brought a hand to my neck in a panic. Yinsen quickly searched through his tools and pulled out a small flashlight. "Could I look at your throat for a second?" I nodded and opened my mouth. "Your vocal chords are swollen, possible damage maybe. I figured as much with all the...noise I could hear from here. Nothing to worry about for now, but we'll need to watch it as the time goes on. I'm making some tea right now. Drinking some should help with any pain and work on the swelling. Knowing these men though...they will come back for you again. We will need to be careful. It would not do for you to permanently lose your voice."

After doing a final check, Yinsen nodded and moved to sit by the fire in the middle of the room. We shared a glance, and he looked thoughtful for awhile before speaking again. "Do you know sign language Miss Florence?" I shook my head no. His gaze returned to the fire before I saw a small smile come to his face. "I think now would be the right time to learn." My head tilted to the side, confused. I hopped off the table, padding towards the fire and sitting down next to him. "If you learn to use it, you won't have to put strain on your voice. It will allow your vocal chords to heal more quickly, and minimize any extra damage from..." He trailed off, turning to look at me again in worry. I placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to smile as reassuringly as I could. He returned my smile and placed a gentle hand over mine, giving a light squeeze. "You're a sweet girl Miss Florence. It is painful to see someone like you thrown into a world like this."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, until the question on my mind couldn't wait any longer. I searched around with my eyes, looking for a way to communicate until I noticed the dirt floor. For now, until I could properly communicate with sign language, I would have to write my words. I carefully traced the question onto the dirt floor as Yinsen watched me curiously. When I'd finished, his face fell in a troubled frown as he looked away. "He's in the back, behind the thin wall setup you see. Mr. Stark... is not in the best of conditions right now. He will live, but has taken severe damage on the inside. It will take awhile for him to recover. For now, I would suggest you be patient until he's healed more before I let you see him. It will be easier. Trust me. What I do not know is when he will wake up. It could be days, month's maybe. We will just have to wait and see."

Yinsen offered me a cup of tea, which I gladly accepted, and for a while it was just comfortable silence. I managed to forget about the pain of my injuries for and relax. It almost felt normal. Eventually, he turned to me again with a grin on his face. "So, shall we begin the lessons?"

For the next two months it continued this way. We would wake up, and someone would bring food. Never enough to satisfy, only enough to sustain. Bad water and stale bread, but it was better than nothing. And then the men would come for me. After two weeks, I stopped passing out in the middle of the beatings. Instead, I'd developed a new habit of shutting out everything in order to protect myself, mentally detaching myself from what was happening to my body. While I was gone, Yinsen would tend to Tony. He told me that was the best time, because he would need a distraction. Without something to do he would be left to sit alone, forced to listen to my screams and the sound of blows. I still hadn't seen Tony yet, opting to wait until he woke up. When they finally dragged me back, Yinsen would patch me up and we would drink tea or continue my sign language lessons. It was as normal as we could make things while we waited for Tony to wake up.

* * *

"I do believe he's coming to."

Tony felt heavy and sore. It was like he'd been sleeping for years. He could hear shuffling and a hushed voice nearby. Carefully, he flexed his fingers and opened his eyes. It was dark, and he was confused for a moment until it all came flooding back. The hum-vees, Clove, his bomb blowing up right next to him. "Hello Mr. Stark. How are you feeling?" Tony's looked towards his feet and he found himself faced with a thin man, dressed neatly with glasses perched on his nose. "I've been better. Feels kind of like a bomb went off right next to me. How long have I been out?" He chuckled painfully and sat up, but noticed an unfamiliar feeling in his chest. His eyes drifted down and he froze. There were wires coming out of him, hooked up to what looked like a car battery next to him. And attached to the other end was a large, circular, humming metal cylinder. **Inside his chest. **The stranger didn't seem to notice his shock as he answered, "Two months. You've missed quite a lot." Tony wasn't paying attention. He'd picked up a sketch of the contraption connected to him, staring at it. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"What I did is to save your life. That is an electromagnet, hooked up to a car battery. I removed as much shrapnel from your chest as I could, but there are still some pieces left. I've seen plenty of injuries like that. In my village we call those casualties "the walking dead," because they take about a week to reach your heart." Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing, and took a minute to let his mind process the information. He paused then, remembering an important detail. "Clove...?" The man held up a hand to stop him. "She is here. I asked her to prepare some tea for when you woke up. I can get her now." Tony nodded as the man walked off behind what looked like a makeshift wall. He could hear the whispers, but couldn't make out the words. He didn't really care; he just wanted to see her face. To know that she was okay.

After a minute, Tony could hear two sets of footsteps heading towards him. The man appeared first, dropping down into the chair near the workbench. Then came the face he'd been anxious to see. But she was not the same as he remembered. Clove had lost weight, a lot of weight. She was incredibly thin and frail looking. Her eyes had heavy dark circles, and she was even paler than when he'd last seen her. She'd tied her hair up and out of the way, and her tattered dress shirt and shorts didn't seem to fit right anymore. He couldn't find anything to say as he stared at her, wide eyed. She fidgeted under his gaze until he realized she was probably already uncomfortable enough with her appearance and cleared his throat.

"Hey Clove. We look pretty awful, huh?"

She grinned meekly and nodded, before turning to the man in the chair. He spoke up.

"She's been waiting to see you for awhile now. And she already knows all about your new addition. We've discussed it at great length."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Why are you answering for her?"

They both looked away from him then, and a tense silence fell upon the group until Tony stiffened at a realization. "Clove... can you not speak?"

She raised her eyes to meet his and nodded slowly, biting her lip. He gripped the edge of the table in shock. "Is it permanent?" She merely shrugged. "How...?" Neither of the people before him gave him an answer.

As Tony took a moment to calm himself, Clove turned to the man and began moving her hands quickly through the air. To his surprise, the seated man nodded and began speaking to her. "Yes, they should be showing up soon. They'll want to confirm that he's awake and move on with their plan." She looked worried, glancing at Tony, as she made more motions. "I don't think they will do anything to him, they need him. But I'm not sure if they will continue their daily...habits...or not. We will find out soon enough. And so will he." She lowered her hands and nodded, dropping her gaze to the floor.

Tony took this chance to jump in, "Wait a minute. Her little hand dance was communication?" The man sighed and nodded, "Yes. In the time you were asleep I taught her to use sign language so her voice could heal as much as we could let it. I should be able to teach you to understand it while we are here." Tony nodded before reaching out to grab Clove's hand. She brought her gaze to him and the corners of her mouth lifted a little before her face become contemplative. She turned back to the stranger and made another motion. He grinned and nodded, "Yes, that should be fine. Just be careful of the wires." Before Tony could decipher what they were talking about, a pair of thin arms wrapped around his neck. He was surprised for a moment before bringing his arms around Clove's thin body, holding her as close as he could without disturbing the wires coming out of his chest. She was so small and thin now, Tony felt like he could break her just by hugging too hard.

They stayed like that for awhile until she pulled away. Gently, she grasped his hand and began tracing letters in his palm. "I missed you." Tony's heart clenched and his face reflected his pain. For Tony, it felt like he fell asleep yesterday and woke up the next day. But for Clove, it had been months. She'd been here, awake every day, going through God knows what not even knowing if he'd ever wake up. He reached up and cupped her cheek gently, and she reached up to place a hand over his. A small smile graced her lips before the sound of someone banging on the door rang throughout the room. Clove stiffened and the man stood up, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. A voice called out in a language he didn't understand, and their new companion called back an answer in the same language. "We need to move to the door." Clove and the man moved to help Tony stand up with his battery as they made their way to the door. There was more yelling and the man translated. "Get down on your knees, and put your hands behind your head." Clove was already in the position as Tony moved to copy her. To anyone else she looked calm, but Tony could slight shake of her hands. "They are going to come in now."

Just as he finished the sentence, the door opened and a group of men with an assortment of guns walked in. All from Stark Industries, Tony noticed. The man in the middle of the group stepped forward and began speaking.

"He says 'Welcome, Tony Stark. We have been waiting for you to wake up.'"

Tony stared at him for a moment before opening his mouth, "Why am I here?"

The man translated it back and the newcomer chuckled darkly, "They need you for a special project, something of great importance. They have everything you need to complete it."

"Which is?"

"They want you to build the missile."

A picture was handed to the man, and he held it out so Tony could see. "This one." The Jericho. Tony took a split second to glance at Clove and she gave him the smallest shake of her head. "Don't do it, Tony." He turned his attention back to the man before him and gave his answer. "I refuse."

There was no translation needed. The room burst into activity as the group began discussing their options together. The trio on their knees waiting patiently as they came to a decision. "He says, 'I believe you will find yourself up to the task by the end of the day.'" Tony narrowed his eyes, not understanding the threat as Clove and the thin doctor next to him paled. With a barked order, two men stepped forward and seized Clove by her arms. It looked like she recognized them as her eyes widened and she struggled. Tony moved to help her but the doctor grabbed his arm and shook his head. Trying to help her would only make it worse for her. The doctor shared a look with Clove and she calmed, allowing herself to be dragged away from them and out the door. Before she disappeared completely her gaze met Tony's and she gave him a small, reassuring smile. Then Tony was left alone with the man he'd met not even thirty minutes ago.

As soon as the door shut, the doctor leaped up and rushed to his tools. "I would suggest you try and find a distraction, Mr. Stark. This will not be easy for either of us." Tony stood up shakily and joined him at the workbench. "Where is she?" The look on the other man's face was unreadable as he furiously washed and re-washed his tools. "I try not to imagine where she goes or what goes on... But I have never met anyone as strong as her in the whole of my life." Tony didn't understand, but then he heard it. The first piercing scream. The battery almost slipped from his grasp at the sound. The blood froze in his veins as they continued, louder each time and mingling with the sound of distant sobs. Tony could hear everything: the pain, the desperation, the shrinking hope. The doctor watched his reaction before he sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tony's eyes lifted up to meet his gaze. "You were wondering why Miss Florence cannot speak. This is why. They take her away each day, at around the same time. It has been like this since the day you both arrived." Tony paled as his mind showed him images of Clove lying on the ground taking beating after beating each day. It was horrifying, and he could feel fury building up in his gut.

"She did not want you to find out. She was worried if you did, you would do something rash and get hurt. And she thought she could keep you from worrying if you did not know." Tony could feel his face tense. It was just like her, to keep something from him to protect him. But this was not something Tony could let continue. The man sensed the change and squeezed his arm. "I know what you're thinking, but for now there is nothing we can do. We must wait for her to get back, and I must prepare to help her when she does. You can assist me in my preparations if you'd like. It is better than being left to listen." They both cringed at a particularly awful shriek. Tony nodded, and together they distracted themselves numbly until the screams finally stopped.

Tony was not prepared for what he saw when they threw Clove back in. It was an image that would haunt him for the rest of his life. She didn't move at first, lying on the floor in a heap. He couldn't breathe. She looked...dead. The back of her shirt was soaked with blood and torn in so many places, and her arms and legs were spotted with black and blue. Neither man moved until she began to tremble. The doctor dropped the tool he was cleaning and rushed to her side, carefully lifting her up and carrying her to the table. Her eyes were shut tightly in pain as he laid her down on her stomach and quickly cut the back of her shirt open to gauge the damage.

All across her skin were crisscrossing slashes and new bruises. As Tony's eyes drifted over the unsettling sight, he could see the white scars of past cuts all over her back. A few that were in the middle of healing had opened during the beating, and were bleeding profusely. He reached toward the cotton pads and antiseptic they'd prepared, steeling himself for what would be a very mentally painful experience. The man stationed across from him gave him a sympathetic look. "The faster we finish, the faster she can get some rest. It will hurt, but she will feel much better when the wounds are clean." Tony nodded mechanically, and they began.

While Clove slept on one of the two mattresses they had, Tony had gone off to agree to help their captors, who surprised him with the sheer amount of Stark Industry weapons in their possession. Of course, he knew they weren't going to make it out by doing what these men wanted. But Tony wasn't going to do what they wanted. Tony was going to get the three of them out. He'd worked with the doctor to create a list of things they would need for their tasks, before settling down next to Clove. She was now wearing the shirt he'd woken up in, as her other shirt had been destroyed by the events of the day. Her eyes fluttered open as the mattress shifted with his weight, and for awhile they just stared at each other. Tony was the first to break the silence. "I guess they were right, I did agree by the end of the day." He watched her eyes widen, but held up a hand to stop her before she worked herself into a panic or called him something that wasn't so pleasant. "I'm not building the Jericho. I have a plan." She listened intently as he described the idea for a miniature arc reactor to replace the electromagnet in his chest. At the end of his explanation, she reached out to grab his hand and traced her response out on his palm. "It's a start." He managed a small grin before his face turned serious. "It's my fault you're here in this state and I'm going to get you home, even if I die trying. I haven't figured out all the details, but I will not allow anyone to hurt you again." She frowned and traced more letters in his palm "I'd prefer you make it out alive too please." Tony merely nodded, and they lapsed into silence again. He pulled her closer to him as he felt sleep tug on his mind, wrapping his arms around her small form as if that was all he needed to protect her. "Does that hurt?" Clove shook her head no. "Good...is it okay if we just stay like this?" She didn't respond for a minute before nodding. Tony yawned, "Good...because I'm too tired to move again." He felt her body shake in silent laughter as they both drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, they would begin to build the tools for their escape.


End file.
